Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department will take to reduce waiting times at A&E departments.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have published the 2021/2022 priorities and operational planning guidance. This includes guidance to transform community and urgent and emergency care to prevent non urgent attendance at emergency departments, improve timely admission to hospital and reduce length of stay.

£450million has been invested to upgrade accident and emergency (A&E) facilities, with funding awarded to over 120 separate National Health Service (NHS) trusts. NHS trusts have used the new funding to expand waiting areas and increase the number of treatment cubicles, helping them boost A&E capacity.